If Only, We Could Change The Past
by Dreamscape13
Summary: A Dramione fanfiction. Sometimes for what you want, you have to give up what you have" Draco Malfoy- pure blood, former death eater who loves his 'Granger' with all his heart but his guilt and regrets of the War is a barrier between them, when he does break it, he finds out what all she went through in his absence. Something which haunts her inside out. He just has find out what..
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

He knew this was a chance. But the last he might have. He looked into the glazed mirror. The charming and famous face of Draco Malfoy looked back at him.

He wore a black cloak but then replaced that with a brown sweatshirt. He now liked to look like the people he had greatly despised. Changes happened. Yes they did. He was now going to have a talk with a person he had hopelessly disliked. But now... it was painful to think about it. Painful to think that it is possible he might never see her again.

He slid a hand through his perfect, blonde hair and after another look at the mirror left the room, in the search of her.

Several people looked at him as he passed through the streets of the city. After the war, from the normal crowd he had continuously and expectedly suffered a lot of looks of loathing, revenge of the injustice they had faced or the losses they had. He felt guilty. Yes he felt enormously guilty but all he tried to keep reassuring himself was that he was not the one who made the wrong choices but the one who did not have any.

Many had forgiven him. Many could not forget their losses. Thoughts like these haunted him. Scenes of the people crying miserably- swimming in his head, Draco accidentally bumped into a plump lady.

"I am so sorry" he said and immediately bent to retrieve her fallen items. When the lady turned to him, halfway through her words of thanking him, she stopped. A little abruptly too. That is when Draco saw Mrs. Weasley's surprised face looking at him.

Her polite expressions hardened and she gruffly snatched her possessions back from him, walking away. Draco felt like a hurt animal, the death eaters had killed her son Fred Weasley and so the Weasley family hated him. He couldn't be forgiven but he had to try, he ran after Mrs. Weasley.

After a minute or so he found her waiting outside the antidotes shop. At first he hesitated, should he go speak to her, those filthy Weasleys, who- a fortnight ago he greatly hated. But he went to her. "Mrs. Weasley?" She turned to him with hurt in her eyes. And before Draco could utter another consonant she said "Do you require going before me? Maybe to buy murderous potions for your gang of Death Eaters?" she said roughly "you sure can" a wave of her hand followed. "Or oh, wait you were not a death eater were you, your father made you one. Poor you. But boy, I lost my son because of you, and _never_ am I going to forgive you for that." His eyes stung. He wanted to run away and hide but cowardice was exactly why he was in such a situation today. "Mrs. Weasley" he started "I really am ashamed of what I did, and what my father did. I really am." The lady snorted and started to walk away "No please wait. We need to speak, I am sorry for what happened but I can promise you that I will not hurt you or your family anymore." "Look-" Molly started but Draco continued "Please believe me?" She looked surprised she turned to him again and replied "Boy, look I do not understand how it happened but a lot has. Vol- Voldemort did not give you a choice, but I understand, my son Percy also made a wrong decision. The pain is grave. It will take time. Till then please stay away from me and my family." She took a breath and had no hatred in those eyes anymore. She had pity. Pity for the boy who _had_ no choice.

Draco did not say anything. Just looked in her eyes silently and left. After some steps of guilt in his mind he imagined Hermione Granger- who if was here would say "Who makes mistakes can be forgiven but the one who can't forgive will make a graver one" He closed his eyes. He could smell her. He could sense her so close to him. The way her lips curled up when a professor praised her and the way her mouth filled with air when someone else replied before her and she exhaled if the other child were wrong.

Draco's heart ached to think about her and how far she might go away to if he did not reach her in time.

After walking a long way Draco reached her house. It was a neat, white building in which she was living since after the war. Just outside the door he saw her.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

His heart stopped. Hermione Granger.

She was on the door looking at the cropped mellow grass.

Her ginger hair curled up in a bun at the back out of which some flicks were coming out in her shining eyes. Was she crying?

Draco heaved a breath and took a step.

Hermione looked up. Her cheekbones visible under her shallow cheeks tinged pink because of the winter. When their eyes met, everything stopped. Draco and Hermione looked at each other and did not move. Silver tears swimming in her eyes streaked down her beautiful face.

Hermione was astonished, broken, happy and extremely sad at the same time. She felt like she was about to break down. Her heart ached with an outburst of emotions. There was no doubt why the charming, witty and marvelous Draco Malfoy was here. It was true. True after all, her anxiety and excitement started vibrating the skin of her body.

She could have been faster than anyone in the world in running to him. Ruffle his hair the way it would annoy him and kiss him into oblivion.

But could she?

She was in the motion of starting her sprint but then she hesitated, and stopped.

Draco Malfoy's heart seemed promising a heartbeat never again in his chest pressed in tension. The tear tracks were very cool by the icy wind and he thought how his cheeks would tinge pink. Just like Hermione's.

She seemed to be contemplating more than just words. Her eyes glistened under the cracked sky with the faint streaks of the evening sun.

Hermione stepped forward with great difficulty as her breathing had never come back since what seemed a year ago. "Why are you here?" was all she could say.

Draco looked surprised and replied "For you." He walked up to her and held her hand. She flinched, her face looked like was crumbling in pain. "I love you Granger." He found the bravery to say. Reminding himself that he _had_ to tell her, he continued. "And I will always love you more than anything else in this world." He whispered his voice sounded cracked and kissed her right on the rosy lips he craved to touch.

Hermione stood stony not moving but her chest seemed to heave a breath. But her body seemed to be shivering.

By the cold?

By her tears?

Or the pain?

Draco wanted to look at her; he wanted to see if she was okay. So with great difficulty he extracted himself and looked at her. She looked broken, and afraid. Her eyes were tightly shut and looked very beautiful. Draco could not even dare to leave her hand, afraid he might never touch it again.

"Hermione?" She did not react just continued to shiver. Draco suddenly felt worried; her face was losing all color. She looked extremely pale and kept whispering his name then suddenly fell limp.

Draco panicked and without a moment's hesitation he lifted her in his arms, and apparated straight to St. Mungo's.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello all. Thank you for reading. Sorry if you feel that the next chapters get a little too dramatic, but that is how I was feeling when I was writing…  
Don't worry Draco _will_ be with Hermione only J  
Would appreciate reviews and comments greatly. Thank you.  
-

CHAPTER THREE

When Hermione woke up it was near afternoon and her stomach churned in hunger. She noticed her unfamiliar surroundings and became alert, looking for her wand. But someone's hand came in hers.

She sat up and looked at her side. Sitting on a chair, hands and the head resting on her bed, Draco Malfoy was calm and asleep, though he looked tired. Hermione then remembered about the day and pinched her arm to check if she was not dreaming.

She wasn't.

There was a glass of orange juice and a bowl of fresh colorful grapes and berries by her side and she gulped down that juice in a second. A sound created by the glass being kept back woke Draco up. After a confused moment Draco saw her and after a big heave of relief he stood up. "Thank g-" "What am I doing here?" she interrupted him.

"Well what happened was that you- Granger fainted right after you kissed me. Maybe I am bad at it or you were surprised by my elegance at that art of it?" He smirked, a feeble attempt at making her smile.

He failed.

"What are you saying?!" she half shrieked, Draco got surprised, expecting a playful nudge in his stomach this was a blow.

"Hermione, you seriously fainted. I panicked and apparated you straight here at St Mungo's. You are safe and sound, the doctor says you have not eaten since four or five days and have been continuously under stress and were taking excess of tablets for the same.

I have no idea what you are going through but I really need to know."

"Draco" she started replying in a cold tone, thank you for your kind concern and help but what has been happening in my life is _not_ a concern of yours."

Hermione started to get up and stumbled straight into his arms. "Granger, what do you think you are doing? Sleep back there you need rest and-"

But then what he saw was so painful that he choked on his words.

Thin, pink scars were visible on the underside of her right wrist which anybody could identify as self-inflicted cuts.

He, feeling broken, decided not to be soft, "Granger, I thought you could do a better job in killing yourselves, I reckon. You will never be able to be a real witch will you?"

Hermione's eyes widened and kept her hands behind her.

"Keep to your own business Draco, your mother will be waiting. Don't bother about a mudblood's life."

When Draco realized the situation could not be improved by quarrelling he decided not to pretend.

"I thought we were friends Hermione, I really love you. Please just talk to me about it. Just once, give me a chance."

"Draco, stop it!" She shrieked, "Please stop it, can you not see!" and threw her hand in the air, right in front of him. Her fair hand had one ring, old but pretty and no one could mistake it for anything else _but_ an engagement ring.

Draco started to get a feeling that he was living the worst nightmare.

"Her- Hermione?" "Yes. Draco. I am engaged. So it better be for you stay away!" Every word felt like a blow to his chest.

"To whom?"

She looked like she wanted to argue and not tell him but then she took a breath, a ghost of a pained expression flickered on her face.

"Harry Potter"


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

What Draco Malfoy felt at the moment could not be described using any form of words.

Of course why not Potter? The chosen one, the one who defeated the Dark Lord. Who would not want him today? But Draco had always seen them as 'best friends' as everyone else did, before the War. He does not know what happened after it. What all? How could he, he never spoke to anyone. His father was in Azkaban and his mother was in an incurable form of depression. He had been locked up in his own house.

But did Hermione not love Draco? Was what he believed false?

His face continued to have an expression as hurt and broken.

The undesired silence which felt like daggers to his ears followed for about ten minutes. Draco did not know how to react and Hermione did not believe in justification of any sort.

"I would advise you to eat something" A lady in a white nurse uniform broke the silence. She was carrying a tray filled with fruits and a glass with a transparent liquid.

Draco did not even blink as he kept staring into Hermione's eyes of glass. This served him nothing as they carried impenetrable stories. Hermione looked up slowly at the nurse and nodded slightly, she was far too weak to even change her expressions of guilt.

The nurse kept the tray on the wooden side table and walked out.

Two hours had passed since Hermione regained consciousness. Tears had never stopped.

Without another syllable, without another glance at that beautiful face, questions unanswered and promises broken, Draco had left the room.

Hermione did not have the strength to apparate to Croatia at the moment but she had to move.

She felt empty. She missed her parents who did not even know they had a daughter, Hagrid, Ginny, Luna, she missed Ronald Weasley who would make faces and say something that would make her laugh. She missed the way she spent her time with her two best friends.

 _Harry_.

How everything had changed. How before the war they were just best friends. Ron had started going out with Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood was very happy together. Ginny was in a serious relationship with Lee Jordan, even though Harry liked her greatly. But then that day. _That day_. She sighed, tears still pouring down her cheeks.

The nurse tried to force the potion into Hermione's mouth, and received a request of a discharge. Though she was familiar with the Wizarding world since nine years she had never had any such opportunity to learn what being discharged was regarded to here.

"You fainted of weakness ma'am you need not want for it to happen again" The nurse argued. "We will talk about your discharge after you drink this and prove to be healthy again it is in our ru-" "I NEED TO GO!" Hermione said as loudly as her weak body allowed her to.

After another pointless debate Hermione finally convinced the healers to discharge her.

When she started withdrawing the last galleons of her pocket she suspected Draco had added a handful of galleons more, the tiny lady peering from the extra large table of reception squeaked

"Ma'am the payment has been done". "By Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, it hurt to say his name.  
"That's right" the receptionist said dully, she had resumed her behavior to the old same attitude of boredom that Hermione had first observed in her fifth year when she had visited St. Mungus.

"Okay, thank you" Hermione said weakly. She turned around ready to finally leave.

"Ma'am there is something that Mr. Malfoy has left for you. He wanted me to deliver this personally." The nurse who was nursing Hermione stood right in front 0f her. Without another word Hermione quietly took the piece of folded paper from the hands of the nurse and left the hospital.

Hermione's shivering hands slowly turned and opened the paper. She saw exactly those words which would make her emotionally weaker. Another tear escaped the brown glazed eyes.

" _I love you Granger._

 _And I always will._ "

 _Draco Malfoy_ 3

Hermione crumpled the paper with a heavier heart and was about to throw it. But as things would not get better but worse, she could not change or alter her past and get rid of memories of Draco. Hermione slipped her crumbled heart into her pocket.

She took a deep breath and with the sound of a 'crack' she apparated to her house.

Hermione Granger's thoughts were very jumbled up, so she sorted them out.

She was a muggle born, a highly talented witch who had decided to be a social worker and work for the freedom of elves Erase the discrimination of muggle borns and work to repair the damages happened because of Voldemort. She was in her sixth year at Hogwarts when to defeat Lord Voldemort; on Dumbledore's orders Harry Potter, the chosen one along with Ron and Hermione left out on the mission and succeeded. Many lives were lost but the future was saved.

Three months after the war when the death eaters were sent to Azkaban and the repairing of the damaged had started a series of happy events followed. Bill and Fleur were expecting a baby. Hagrid lived with Charlie currently and Ron Weasley, being a pure blood was in a live-in relationship with Pansy Parkinson, an attractive and nice Slytherin. Luna has gone with her dad on a research of the spirits of fire to India and she claimed to have found them.

Draco Malfoy hardly came out of his mansion after the war, his mother was going through a harsh depression period.

A day after her meet with Mrs. Malfoy Hermione met up with her friends in a magic club called "Merlin' O jazz".

A supposed place of the brilliant magic, with the lingering scents of world's every type of whiskeys and beers. But for her: A place of disasters. Where the dice of her fate rolled down a steep valley with gaps, difficult to fill.

A lot can be ruined with mistakes or game of bad luck. Hermione had suffered both.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi guys, thank you for reading. I am updating whenever I get time, hope this much is liked by you all. This chapter was a little tricky to write because this is happening in the very past, so there might be grammatical errors. Sorry about that. Please review and a happy reading.. :)

CHAPTER FIVE

Hermione could still remember that day as if it were just yesterday.

 _She was wearing a nice and dazzling black dress with a stylish velvet shrug. Her hair now cut small were streaked black with glitter by Ginny Weasley. With hopes of enjoying herself Hermione allowed her to do whatever she wanted with her hair, face, or the whole body._

 _Hermione's skin seemed to be tingling in excitement and anxiety. It was not really normal for her to be in such parties._

 _Ron was found making out with Pansy Parkinson right near the entry, but it did not bother Hermione anymore. She went inside and helped herself with a whiskey. The girls were dancing and their fair, supple limbs were sparkling with tiny beads of sweat._

 _Hermione did not want to go dance with them, but she still stood up and walked to the boys, no matter what they say: every teenage girl likes to be in the popular circle. Her hips swaying and head moving with the beats of the music, she picked up a third glass of liquor._

 _Cat calls were made when the boys saw Hermione Granger approaching towards them in her out-of-the-class look, as everyone knew. All were enjoying and consuming more and more glasses of shiny liquids. She went and started dancing next to Seamus Finnigan and continued to dance, this time- with more freedom in the movements of her body. Another glass of whiskey followed and Hermione started to enjoy herself immensely. She made an attractive appeal with her body. "This is who I am." She wanted to show the world, this desperation always in her. To show she could also joke and have fun of their kinds._

 _Now she increased her pace of dancing, moving closer to the other boys, dancing in a close circle._

 _She took a turn and pulled off her shrug revealing a rare sight of Hermione's bare arms, slender and fair._

 _The boys around her seemed to get excited. Dean Thomas moved out of the crowd when he felt the indecency was increasing. Beside Hermione, Theodore Nott was eying her with interest. He looked at her legs and his glance lingered at her chest and her lips. He took a step closer to her. Neville Longbottom, standing next to the counter, nervous and out of place looked uncomfortable as Hermione's actions started to get vulgar. He walked up to her, pushing through the increasing crowd he reached her and held her hand. "Hermione, come let's sit. You've danced enough." He said loudly over the blaring music._

 _She looked at him, confused and pulled her arm away. "Go away, Neville." She said. "Hermione you are not in control of what you are doing. Sober up. You are drunk."He said firmly_

 _"_ _ **You**_ _are drunk, Longbottom, go away!" she said whining. Many of the crowd cheered at this and laughed._

 _Neville was shocked as well as offended. But he knew she would not say that is she was fully aware. "Hermione please co-" "Shut up Longbottom!" a boy shouted. And before he could say anything more he was pushed out of the circle._

 _Now Theodore Nott pulled at her hand so firmly that lost balance and fell straight into his arms. He hugged her and continued to dance and Hermione began to struggle. He held her tightly and moved his hands around the backside of her body. But Hermione was weakening and she started to lose consciousness. But however drunk she was she did not want to sleep in some other boy's arms and she pushed herself away and walked or rather dragged herself to the bar counter and asked the old man there for a wand. Maybe she could use it to regain consciousness but he could not or did not try to understand what she was saying. The others continued to dance._

 _Hermione now started to feel vulnerable and afraid and she moved to the girls. But when she was halfway through her act of dragging herself towards the girls, a hand snatched at her waist_. _All she could do was not let her dress rip away as they pulled her roughly. Her adrenaline pumped and she tried to hold onto something but failed. The two boys: she figured out were also drunk and were tugging at her to stay stable. The boys just pulled her into the corner of the bar and, as Hermione saw, greedy smiles spread across Theodore Nott's and Zabini Blaise's faces._


	6. Chapter 6

Hi guys, I am very sorry for the delay, but now it won't take long before we will all wind up again into an outburst of surprises and suspense, an overwhelming accounts of the past, the grief of righteous duty and love. Guys this chapter has adult content and somewhere its dramatic and sad. People those who do not want to get into so much of emotions, can skip this chapter. You would not miss any storyline but only the emotions.

Hope it keeps up to all expectations till the end… Love you all.

CHAPTER SIX

 _Although Hermione remembered it vaguely, flashes of blurred scenes but she knew, every person in the bar saw them. At first, they thought it was an intentional act going on; at least that's what the girls convinced themselves as; even though every single person knew that Hermione was not like that. But nor was she the type who would strip off her shrug and just start dancing with the boys._

 _So they let it happen._

 _The two boys pulled her towards the room of storing flasks. They stumbled several times and rested her on three-four cartons of wood. She was unconscious now but was shivering when little by little her clothing and respect got stripped off.  
Zabini Blaise stepped aside and started to sip on his third bottle of whisky as his eyes lingered at the satisfactory pleasure. _

_The boys and girls continued to dance outside as though nothing had happened. They were convinced Hermione Granger was just a spoilt, desperate girl._

 _The room was dark and small. When she switched on the light she immediately rushed to the bathroom and throwed up, her head throbbing gravely. She seemed to be sleeping in a Motel room, where she regained consciousness and those were the most miserable moments of her life. She remembered everything and without facing anybody she apparated to her house wore a full sleeve jumpsuit and with fear and anxiety vibrating the skin of her body, she went to meet Neville._

 _That was the first time she would go to the Longbottom's house. Neville lived with his grandmother was all she knew. His parents had suffered tortures of Bellatrix Lestrange's continuous attack of the Cruciatus curse._

 _She knocked on the door of the beautiful old house._

 _With a creaking sound the door opened, behind which stood Neville. He looked surprised and a jumble of other emotions._

 _"_ _Hi"_

 _"_ _Hi."_

 _"_ _Neville, can I speak to you?"_

 _"_ _Um – yeah, you sure can. Come in."_

 _"_ _Where's your grandmother?"_

 _"_ _She's gone out to play dominoes."_

 _"_ _Neville, I am really, extremely sorry, for having spoken to you in that an atrocious manner." She began, looking guilty._

 _"_ _That's okay Hermione."_

 _After an uncomfortable silence Hermione said_

 _"_ _Okay." She took a breath. "There is no point pretending about it anymore… What happened?" her eyes, teary, were begging for it all to be false, like delusions._

 _"_ _Hermione-" he started to argue._

 _"_ _No. No. Please. Don't make it more difficult for me. Please."_

 _"_ _Hermione, I- I can't. Please. Don't do that." He said weakly._

 _She stood up. "Can you tell me what happened!" she shrieked. Fear and dread gnawing at her._

 _"_ _Can you not see it? In my eyes? I can_ _ **not**_ _tell you." He said empathetically._

 _"_ _Fine. You have a Pensieve?" She thought it to be stupid to see someone's memory, when they were right in front of you. But all she cared about was to know._

 _He went in the room for about ten minutes till then Hermione was being haunted by her thoughts._

 _He came with a very old Pensieve, his memory already put in it. He looked very broken. "I am sorry."_

 _"_ _You have not tampered it, have you?_

 _"_ _Um- Hermione, it is not very important-"_

 _"_ _Neville, please." She begged, she did not have the strength to say anymore._

 _Neville did not have to make any more efforts to get tears, they were already streaming down his plump face._

 _He bottled one and put it in, it was a smoky memory._

 _"_ _Go on. I cannot"_

 _"_ _It is okay." She took a deep breath and entered Neville's most dreadful memory of his life._

 _""_ _Hermione saw Neville entering the club again. He looked worried._

 _"_ _Hey Parvati, where's Hermione?" he asked, a girl from Gryffindor. "No idea", she said with a shrug. She was sober. He repeated the question to Lavender. She looked strained as she started to stutter "Hermione was wit-" "With whom?" He urged her, apprehensively. "There" Was all she added as she signaled to the store room and started to sing some old romantic song. He ran fiercely and banged the door open. The Hermione watching this could make out silhouettes of two boys and and someone lying down on some boxes. Herself. Gulping down the anticipation of the disgust she might feel, she saw Neville walk forward._

 _"_ _What do you think you are doing Longbottom?" Zabini asked him, as Theodore was pecking his lips on the skin under Hermione's ears._

 _The present Hermione was about to puke. She lay there, stripped and being raped right in front of her own eyes._

 _Neville looked beyond angry. He looked furious and outraged, he pushed Theodore and he fell a few feet away. Being the only one, fully in their senses, he literally lifted him by his collar and threw him to the other corner. Then pulled Zabini by the scruff of his neck and banged him against his thigh. But Zabini was just laughing and said "Poor Longbottom, here you are crying because you never got her. There that asshole- Malfoy is crying because he doesn't have her, fools. Who cares?_

 _We tasted her for free". Hermione's heart hurt after listening to that. Had Neville ever liked her? And Zabini was laughing, blood on his lips. All Neville did was he took out his wand and shrieked "Crucio!" the curse that haunted his parents and destroyed his childhood.  
It worked.  
Zabini screamed in pain and writhed. Neville looked afraid but not guilty. _

_He laid another lethal curse upon Theodore Nott. Rage thundering in his eyes and blood pulsing in his veins Neville picked up four flasks, identical to the ones Mad-eye Moody drank from. Then he, in revenge threw them one by one._

 _"_ _This" he threw two flasks at each of their hands "for touching her."_

 _"_ _And this" he threw another flask at their faces "for saying those filthy words and touching her from those mouths." He could have scared the bravest of men._

 _The two boys were bleeding badly and fell unconscious almost immediately._

 _Neville now reluctantly looked at Hermione, the one unconscious lying on the cold marble._

 _She was bruised at various places and barely a piece of clothing was left on her body. Her hair tangled._

 _The other Hermione, who was in her jumpsuit, had just witnessed two people raping her and Neville Longbottom protecting her by half killing them_

 _She felt sick and watched as Neville bent down to the nude Hermione, and pulled out his overcoat and laid it over her chest. And dressed her improperly but it was adequate._

 _He had lifted her up clumsily when suddenly through the door, a crowd of fifty people flowed in. they photographed Hermione shamelessly and others looked at the two unconscious people and made up stories in a second. Neville stayed there for three full seconds and apparated to some Motel. But those seconds were enough to destroy all of Hermione's respect. He was very poor_ _at apparating but managed to reach there directly in a room but he splinched his toe nails. He somehow managed to summon an elf who dressed her in pajamas and a sequined top. He waited for some time but then apparated back home._ _"'_

 _Hermione plunged back out of the Pensieve and crumbled onto the ground. She started sobbing, Neville did not know what he could do but he asked someone to carry the Pensieve away._

 _"_ _Neville… The admiration, gratitude, respect I feel for you, and the debt I owe you is far beyond how much words can express. I really really thank you with all my might and will. And what you did there was the highest of the bravery. I- I" she wanted to continue but she broke down again. But then she suddenly stood up "Neville, you have today's newspaper?"_

 _"_ _Hermione you-" "Neville do you have it?"_

 _"_ _No, I don't. But if I did, I would not have given it to you. My grandmother has come back and sent a message saying food has been prepared; if you think of me as a friend, please do not leave this house without having a proper meal." He said firmly, his face pale._

 _Hermione felt lost, she gave a slight nod and before Neville could walk off she took a step forward and hugged him softly. Neither for her, nor for him was there any sense of awkwardness of romantic feeling there. Hermione was hugging him like a sister, thanking him for saving her. He was hugging her, making her feel safe, like nothing could hurt her. "Thank you." She said again._

 _"_ _You know Hermione I should be thanking you. Since the very first day you were the one who stayed with me, no matter how weird I was. You helped me, and with the 'DA' I got friends, and now I have become a real wizard. A good one." He said "thank you_."

 _"_ _No Neville" She said shaking her head "you know, when we were on the run_ _and Harry_ _lost his wand. That time we had to switch wands and he could not do any spell properly. I realized, you were always an excellent wizard, but you used your father's wand." Neville was starting to understand what she was saying. "But when it broke at the Ministry of Magic then you got a new one. After that your spells became right and your magic started working nicely and you became an excellent wizard. The wand chooses the wizard, remember?"_ _Neville's face lit up and he smiled for the first time after Luna had left on her expedition. All the worries had flown out, just for the meanwhile._


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey guys. Sorry for taking so long. I have tried my best to weave all the delicate scenes carefully. Devour every moment of their love through this romantic journey. Hermione here is still filled with the emotions of love and unfairness of the past. Draco will stand in support for someone he could do anything for._

 _In this terrible struggle of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy's life all they want is to know how they could change the past.._

CHAPTER SEVEN

She dragged herself onto the bed still unable to forget about the happenings of past few days. She had been raped, scandalized, later on engaged and now she had to face her love again with nothing but silence.

She wanted to burst out saying she loves him too and wants him, needs him. But she was forced by her fate. Of course, if Draco was not oblivious to all the events of the past he would have supported her wholeheartedly. Right now, she could blame more than her fate. If it was not for her, Hermione would have been in a much better state.

 _Hermione was now aware of everything that had happened that night and she was feeling more than disgusted. She did not know how she would face anyone from now on. She was not sure if she will be able to meet that bold, courageous and brave Hermione ever again. Currently, all that she knew was that however big the problem is you can always trust your love. Even before she could decide or think over what she should do next, her feet had already traced path to the house._

 _The path was not familiar she had been there once that too apparated. She wanted time. Time for herself. Even if it meant walking through the torturous glares of people aware of the incident. Ignoring everyone there, wishing they would disappear she dragged herself slowly on the thin road through the forest._

 _There was a lady standing out of the mansion. She looked weak. She glared at Hermione who looked weaker, even to stand. Instead of offering to sit, aware of what all Hermione had been through, the lady asked her to not step into the house._

 _"_ _But, I really need to see Draco." She whispered weakly._

 _"_ _You will not meet him. Stay away from my son. I should never see you here." She ordered stubbornly, though enervate, would never let anything happen to her son. Narcissa gestured Hermione to leave, Hermione stood there determined to meet Draco._

 _Narcissa waited for two long minutes. When she was sure Hermione had made up her mind she sighed._

 _"_ _Do you really love my son?"_

 _Hermione nodded palely._

 _"_ _Then you should know your staying near him serves him no good. You at first have left him with no peace and-" She burst into tears could no more force herself tears tracing down her cheeks, she looked at Hermione paler than ever "and" she sobbed "your blood is dirty it is not pure. You- you are touched" Narcissa could not phrase her thoughts into words so she did not say anything anymore for a while. Hermione broke down, vulnerable and desolate. She did not want to hear anything but she also could not deny the truth._

 _"_ _Hermione, even I love my son. I love him more than anything else in the world. And if you know what love means and how much trouble you would cause my son by being with him then you would not meet him." Her face looked wild, her eyes begging._

 _Hermione was aware of what trouble she would cause and she had caused by being in Draco's life. She also knew what trouble she would cause for him by staying away. Hermione surely could not convince herself._

 _Narcissa knew how love budding hearts were, especially in need. She stared down at Hermione through her watery eyes and pleaded "Hermione all that I want from you is to stay away from my son. I beg you. In return I would give you anything you wish for what I can."_

 _Hermione could bear seeing Lucius Malfoy's wife Narcissa Malfoy begging her. But, if it meant Draco's mother, who he loved as much as he loved her, she could not accept that._

 _Hermione knew the consequences already of not telling anything to him. Hermione felt horrible. Horrible because she could not tell Draco how much she loved him. The last time they had talked, just before the party, they had fought. Which had touched its extremes. Before they could apologize to each other, Ginny had pulled Hermione to the party. Hermione was expecting Draco's presence there. On the absence of Draco and the fight between them Hermione started drinking. She decided to enjoy the day. Without Draco. Which produced an incurably disastrous consequence in her life…_

 _Now Hermione knew what she would do next. " , I will not come to your son. But in return you will not let Draco know" She had stood up. Being brave outwardly, Hermione continued "know what had happened with me. Please. Under no circumstances. Because after that neither you nor me would be able to help him out of the shock." She knew that it should be her and no one else who should tell him the incident. And if he knew from someone else he would suffer through a lot._

 _Harry Potter the one who had his own infatuations for Ginny Weasley was Hermione's best friend. He did not even think for a minute before proposing the idea of their marriage to Hermione. At first Hermione had decided to leave alone and never look back to the place. But if Harry wanted to come along she did not mind because after all now she had no interest in her own life._

 _Within a day they were engaged and the news that now Hermione would shift within three days was out._


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

" _What!" Draco exclaimed. He was informed that Hermione was shifting somewhere. "But mom I should have kno…"_

" _It's okay Draco. Did that girl even meet you in these five days since you both fought?" Draco remained silent "That girl has a big EGO and she has accepted the fate that your relationship will eventually meet."_

 _Draco stood up preparing to leave to convince Hermione to not go._

" _And Draco, my son we have a big self respect like her ego." Narcissa said hastily to stop her son._

 _But she seemed to fail as Draco walked towards the Diagon Alley and reach her._

 _Draco felt guilty to be in such a situation. He could not believe Hermione was actually shifting. He knew his Hermione, she would never have taken a step leading away from him. Unless it was for his good._

 _He was worried what circumstances had arrived that Hermione had not even come to meet him once before taking the decision. It had been five days since the fight. A lot must have occurred in the world from where Draco had been away for three days for his mother's work._

 _Draco did not know where to find Hermione. He felt guilty to play the role of a villain unwillingly in the war and he wanted to apologize he gave no damn of the self respect and ego that the Malfoys should possess. And he got his first forgiver when he banged into ._


	9. Chapter 9

_Hello! I am enjoying writing this. I hope you are liking it too. As it is my first fanfic I am pretty happy with your responses. Thanks a lot._ _Review so I can improve._

 _Near the end taken little inspiration from the Shatter Me series. :p_

 _Happy reading!_

CHAPTER NINE

Five days? How? How did Hermione just decide she wanted to marry Potter instead of him, her Draco?

He knew there was a larger, greater reason. Hermione had not spoken to him and decided to make a wedding relationship with someone else. But her health was in a poor state.

She had not eaten properly since four to five days. The healer had also told him that the last thing she had taken in was alcohol. And some bits of solid stuff.

He was worried more than before. He had left her a note for her and according to how much he knew her- she would have already discharged herself from the hospital and received the note. Must have read it, cried a bit, crumpled it and slipped it into her box of memories. Draco had controlled himself enough.

As soon as he reached to corner of road where it ended, his legs failed to support him. He dragged himself with the wall at his back and slipped down slowly. Tears streaming down his face he cursed Harry. Why Potter? Why him? He had fame; he had a name, lot of money. He could have anything he wanted, _but not Hermione_ because she belonged to Draco. And she would be his _forever._

He sat there for hours.

Staring.

As the soupy red sky, changed to the calm, blue glass, where the clouds would soon shatter it and unleash their tears below.

As rain.

With great difficulty Draco Malfoy's day finished and he dragged himself back home.

Where he found a letter from the hospital, anticipating it to be Hermione's letter, he quickly tore open the yellow envelope and read:

 _Draco Malfoy_

 _Hermione Granger was a patient at our hospital three days ago. I was her healer and checked her whole._

 _We have tried t0 reach her numerous times but failed so we hope you can forward this news to her as it is very important._

 _Hermione Granger is possibly pregnant. She ought to take heavy care of her selves in either cases. She is presently not at all leading a healthy life. This message is supposed to be given to her and not so early without confirming and what I just did is against the rules but the situation is hopefully understandable._

 _Please do forward the message as soon as possible or else it might get severe. Make her rest and eat._

 _Thank you._

 _St Mungo's_

Shit.

 _What. Was. Happening?_ Draco was more astonished and hurt together, sick of crying. There were no tears left.

He had to be fast. He stuffed a spoon of roasted peas in his mouth or else he felt he woulddropfromexhaustion.

Then he apparated straight to her house.

"Hermione. There is no point in hiding, I know you are in this house."

"Draco? You here?" Hermione looked surprised as she came out of the house where he stood.

"Yes Granger. I am on a very important business just by the way."

"What, Draco you do-"

"I got a letter from the hospital, here it is."

He interrupted her and handed it to her.

It hurt to see Hermione's apprehensive face change from surprise to pain.

Grave pain.

Her face was ashen white.

A cold face hiding the turmoil.

"No." she whispered "No".

Instead of tears her eyes started to blaze with fury. Already red the nets of her eyes started to spread more. She started to shiver.

"Draco, we can't talk about this. You should go. I know where this is leading. But I can tell you nothing, at least now. Go. Please. " She tried to keep her croaked voice steady.

Draco showed no response, he stood where he was.

Their eyes met. So much spoken.

Draco's eyes trying, desperate yet stubborn. Hermione's eyes struggling and wild.

Requests and denials.

Arguments and pleas.

So much.

It took three full hours for Hermione to retell the ghastly events of her past. The night of the party and everything. She also mentioned the fact that it was the act of Theodore Nott which resulted today in her pregnancy.

After she was done Draco excused himself because he was crying, what he could not in front of her who was already so weak.

Hermione inside, just sat. She felt this tiny glimmer of hope that things could get okay. Relief.

Draco came back inside and the next moments were like a trance.

Draco hugged her, a kiss to her forehead. Shaking violently. Both comforting the other. Both bodies shielding the other."I love you." Draco whispered. "I don't care what anybody thinks, we're here together, and will be so."

Limbs entangle.

Lips touch.

They break.

Shattering into a million pieces of gasps and cries, holding each other.

Trapped by the choking sheaths of the past and the world for so long, it was, they thought, time to break free.


End file.
